Sunday, November 13, 2011

By request...

an excerpt of the novel - the rough prologue to be exact. :)

**********

The sound was always first.

Long before she felt the familiar throb, came the faint, high-pitched keening. There was no other word for it, as if all the grief and pain in the universe was focused in one place at one time. As the knifelike cacophony grew in slow, deafening volume, the pulse would begin. Rhythmic, nauseating, it felt good and bad all at the same time. Like a drug in her veins, winding through her system. Knowing how bad it would feel later but not wanting, or being able to stop, because despite the bad, it felt just too incredible.

But stop it did, eventually, and although it didn't always end well, the ride had a comforting familiarity. After all this time, the one thing she knew was that out of all the unexpected in her world this at least had a predictable outcome. At least thus far it had anyway, she thought wryly, noting that she was getting better at managing to concentrate in the epicenter of the shrieking torment raging around her.

There was always him. She knew he'd be there, somewhere, either shortly before or soon after. She knew of others who were forever alone in this experience, existence drawn with a wicked blade and torn as easily as a piece of paper. She didn't dwell too long on those unfortunate souls, for it was long past the time when she could do anything for them. Except hope that she didn't suffer the same fate.

Shuddering from the thought as much as from the external forces on her skin, she took one last look around the familiar space. A thought streaked through her mind and she hastily took a few steps forward into the room. With nerves jangling, and with the knowledge that she was mere seconds away, she reached into the bedside table and recovered the one object she knew she'd need. That done and time winding down, her eyes alighted on the picture by the bed. A brief smile was all the time she had, even as she braced for the inevitable. Taking a deep breath, she surrendered herself to what she knew came next.